Jeremy Thompson fishes for walleye from inside his ice fishing shelter setup on the Beaver Creek Reservoir near Green Springs on Thursday, Jan 23. Thompson, who grew up nearby, caught a pair of walleye the previous night. / Jonathon Bird/CentralOhio.com

Written by

Dick Martin

CentralOhio.com

Ice fishing is going strong on Lake Erie after two open winters that saw no ice at all.

South Bass Island ice fishing guide Bud Gehring (419-261-0165) reported on Jan. 25 that walleye were present in that sector between Rattlesnake and Green Island, but fishing was a little slow.

Plenty of yellow perch were being caught, some to 10-12 inches.

“The fish are down there as seen on underwater cameras,” Gehring said. “They’re just not biting much yet.”

Fishing on the mainland is still a little spotty too, but some walleye are being caught about 1 1/2 miles west of Catawba Island State Park in 22 feet of water. Top offerings are, as usual jigging spoons like Swedish Pimples, and jigging Rapalas and blade baits with emerald shiners on the hooks.

Some trophy walleye are being caught around reefs off the Davis-Besse Power Plant, and both East and West Harbor are turning up good catches of bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, and pumpkinseed sunfish.

Readers are reminded that Lake Erie can be a treacherous spot to ice fish with currents that can undercut the ice, and sudden winds and storms that can break off huge chunks and maroon fishermen.

It’s best to call first a local bait shop, such as the Sandusky Fish Research Unit at 419-625-8062. Find out what the ice and fishing is like before a trip. It’s always best also to go with a guide who knows current conditions, travel with others on well marked trails, carry safety gear, and a cell phone is a waterproof container.

• Walleye anglers who’d like to learn more about their sport are invited to the Feb. 13 meeting of the Mid-Ohio Walleye Club at 7 p.m. Chris Vandergoot and Travis Hartman, both biologists with the ODNR, will be the featured speakers.

Chris will discuss the walleye telemetry study, which follows walleye migration habits as they move about Lake Erie and its tributaries. Travis will give his insight on Lake Erie trolling techniques. The meeting will be held at the Gorman Nature Center in Mansfield and the public is welcome to attend.

• The Friends of the Killbuck Marsh, the Wilderness Center, Division of Wildlife and others will hold their 2014 Shreve Spring Migration Sensation on Saturday, March 29 from 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Shreve Elementary School in Shreve, Ohio.

There will be a full slate of speakers at six workshops covering topics from bird song to bird migration and self-guided tours with experts located at help stations in the nearby Killbuck Marsh, Shreve Lake, Browns Bog and Funk Bottoms. Cost is $15 per person or $20 per immediate family.

• Looking for a good read that will offer plenty of information about Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes? Twine Line is the printed voice of Ohio Sea Grant, an award winning, quarterly newsletter that covers issues, events, and research related to the Great Lakes.

Recent copies reported on events from the newest research on the lakes and OSU’s Stone Lab on South Bass Island to invasive species and environmental issues. Cost is $10 per year and checks can be made payable to The Ohio State University. Mail to Twineline, 1314 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212.

• The National Wildlife Federation has launched an online community to connect kids with wildlife. People who love the outdoors and wildlife are invited to check out the source called Wildlife Nation which can be reached at www.wildlifenation.org.

The Nation aims to attract people who enjoy doing things outside or who want to get outside more. It connects them to other like-minded people who can help each other so that kids today can enjoy the wonders of wildlife.

People who join the community can upload pictures, tell stories, and ask questions, and find resources to create a habitat in their backyard, plant trees, or camp and fish.